Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love was held out of the second half of the team’s regular-season finale as a precaution after injuring his throwing elbow, but coach Matt LaFleur said postgame that he will be good to go for the team’s NFC wild-card game.
The news wasn’t as optimistic for wide receiver Christian Watson, who sustained a right knee injury in the second quarter and was carted to the locker room. LaFleur said he was “not super confident” about Watson’s status going forward.
Green Bay fell 24-22 to the Chicago Bears on Sunday, finishing the season 11-6 and winding up with the seventh seed in the NFC playoffs. The Packers will visit the No. 2 seed Philadelphia Eagles next weekend.
Love said postgame that he landed on his right elbow during the same drive that Watson was hurt and his throwing hand “pretty much just went numb.” Asked how it felt during his press conference, he replied, “The same,” but he added he felt good about being ready for the Eagles game.
Love, 26, entered the game playing his best football of late, with nine touchdowns and no interceptions over the past six contests. He completed 7 of 12 passes for 69 yards before being replaced by Malik Willis.
Love finished his second full season as Green Bay’s starting quarterback with 3,389 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Watson, meanwhile, was initially ruled questionable to return before being downgraded to out. The 25-year-old had 29 catches for 620 yards and two touchdowns this season.
Watson missed the Packers’ Week 17 game against the Minnesota Vikings with a left knee injury.
“That’s a tough one,” Love said. “Obviously I’m not sure the exact circumstances, but just seeing it on the field, him going down noncontact like that, it’s tough. It’s really tough, especially Christian trying to bounce back from what he’s been dealing with and to be able to go out there and have that happen, it’s tough. I feel for Christian.”
–Field Level Media
